


New Vessel

by basil_leaf



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Brief mention of past torture, Gen, angel possession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 09:39:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14054115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/basil_leaf/pseuds/basil_leaf
Summary: Gabriel is back but in order to really help the Winchesters, he needs a new vessel.  Upon learning this, someone unexpected volunteers.Inspired by Jensen's recent comments in Entertainment Weekly about playing a non-Dean character for the first time later this season.





	New Vessel

**Author's Note:**

> So, I read an article about Dean in the coming episodes (it's from Entertainment Weekly and it's on their website and there are some vague season 13 spoilers if you read it) and this was the first thing that popped into my head. I couldn’t focus on anything else until I got it down on paper and I’m not convinced that something like this won’t actually happen… It's my latest crazy Gabriel theory.
> 
> Also, I’m making this an entry into the @gabriel-monthly-challenge (on tumblr) for March! One of the prompts was a song called Broken Halos by Chris Stapleton and the chorus really feels like it fits this one.

_Seen my share of broken halos_  
Folded wings that used to fly  
They’ve all gone wherever they go  
Broken halos that used to shine  
\- Broken Halos by Chris Stapleton 

“I can’t do it.” Gabriel’s voice was firm and steady, despite the fact that he hadn’t been able to use it for much of the past decade. With Ketch’s help, Sam, Dean, and Cas had been able to break him out of the prison Asmodeus had created for him. The brothers had loaded the archangel into the back of the Impala and then driven him back to the bunker where they began to nurse him back to health. It had been slow going but, after they had convinced Gabriel that they were real and not just another hallucination created to torture him into submission, he had started making real progress. 

With Sam standing at his side, Dean had just told Gabriel about their predicament. They still hadn’t been able to track down a way to get to Jack and Mary. They had all the ingredients to open the portal except one - the grace of an archangel. They didn’t need all of it, Sam had assured him, and Castiel was willing to share his grace with Gabriel until he had returned to his full power but the recently rescued archangel had still bristled at the idea.

Dean pursed his lips at Gabriel’s response. “You can’t or you won’t?” he asked harshly, all of the men tense as his words brought back flashes of nearly a decade ago when Dean had asked him the same question. Gabriel had stayed quiet that time but now he had an answer.

Sam beat him to speaking, though, and grabbed his brother’s arm in warning, a quiet “Dean,” muttered under his breath but the older man shrugged him off.

“No, Sam, we risked our asses to pull him out of hell,” he said, his eyes trained on Gabriel. “He owes us this.”

Sam was about to respond, likely something about how he had already nearly died for them once, Gabriel assumed, but the archangel spoke up before the younger Winchester could take them all further on the trip down memory lane. 

“Can’t.” He stared Dean down, the hunter taking a step backwards under his scrutiny. “Not in this vessel. It’s not strong enough for me to survive with depleted grace, yet.” 

Dean looked the weakened angel over and Gabriel could tell he was deciding whether or not he believed his story. The human squared his shoulders and stood up a little straighter, emphasizing the difference in height between him and the archangel in front of him. “If we can find you another vessel you could do it?”

Gabriel arched a brow, interested in where this line of questioning was going, and nodded.

Dean’s lips pursed again as he sucked at his top teeth in thought. “Then, yes.”

Gabriel saw Sam’s eyebrows shoot up at Dean’s words and he knew he had a similar expression on his own face. Even after all these years, humans still had the power to surprise him. 

Sam reached for his brother again, this time not allowing his grip to be shaken off. “Dean, what the hell? What are you doing?”

The older Winchester didn’t take his eyes off of Gabriel as he replied to his brother. “We said we’d do whatever it took to get them back, Sam. If this is what it takes, I’m in.” He paused for a minute, waiting for Gabriel to do or say something. When the archangel didn’t move, continued speaking. “Come on, I was literally created for Michael to wear me like a cheap suit. Handling you should be a piece of cake,” Dean prodded.

Gabriel stepped forward and nodded. “If that’s the way you want it. Heck, I’ll even let you out to play when we’re sucking on Castiel’s neck.” Gabriel knew he was antagonizing the hunter but he didn’t care. It was a stupid plan but, if what the brothers had shared was true, it was the only one they had to bring Mary Winchester and Jack back to the world in which they belonged. A nephilim in the hands of Michael - especially a Michael who had claimed apocalyptic victory - was not a scenario that he wanted to imagine. However, that didn’t mean that he wasn’t going to push Dean’s buttons in order to give the human a chance to back out.

Dean’s nostrils flared but he didn’t take the bait.

“I made this vessel for myself and I’ll want it back once we’re done,” Gabriel announced.

Dean almost laughed, a short burst of air escaping through his nose in disbelief. “Oh, don’t you worry, I’m kicking your ass out as soon as this is over.” 

“Well, aren’t you just Mr. Hospitality, Dean-o,” Gabriel coldly joked, still trying to alienate the hunter. “Here’s my terms: I’ll do this for you on the condition that you bring me back here to this universe to return to my vessel and that you call off your hunt for Asmodeus. Once I’m back to full power, his demonic ass is mine.”

Dean scoffed at the fact that Gabriel thought he might expel him and leave him behind in the other world. Sure, he wasn’t the archangel’s biggest fan but he wasn’t cruel, either. That was a conversation - or, more likely, a confrontation - for another time, though and Dean quickly replied. “Deal.”

The trio walked to the library, the corridors silent apart from their footsteps. Once they arrived, Dean prayed for Castiel to join them. Gabriel was going to need to top off his grace once they took some from him. Cas would be weakened after that but he would still be able to make sure that Gabriel’s body remained hospitable to host the archangel upon their return.

As soon as Cas arrived, Gabriel sat down in one of the chairs. “I need to hear you say it again, Dean.”

“Yes.”

The room flashed white and Gabriel’s vessel slumped over lifeless in its chair as Dean’s eyes glowed blue with grace.

**Author's Note:**

> This has been crossposted from my tumblr @revwinchester. If you enjoy it, leave a comment or a kudos and let me know!


End file.
